All outdoor burning and the use of uncertified stoves and fireplaces will be prohibited in Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas and Okanogan Counties due to poor air quality in the region. Restrictions on burning will continue through 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, when conditions will be reassessed.

The Washington Department of Ecology is calling the burn ban because cooling air followed by stagnant conditions will put communities at risk for unhealthy levels of air pollution. Fine particles from wood smoke can easily get into peoples’ lungs causing heart and breathing problems.

Ecology’s burn bans do not apply on tribal reservations, where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has jurisdiction. Call 800-424-4372 for tribal burn ban information or visit EPA’s Washington Burn Ban page on their website.